Engaging in Dialogue with Mutual Restraint
The public expects calm to be restored soon in Papua. All elements of the nation are also expected to exercise mutual restraint towards constructive dialogue.
JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The public expects calm to be restored soon in Papua. All elements of the nation are also expected to exercise mutual restraint towards constructive dialogue.
In Jakarta, the government said it was ready to listen to the voice of the Papuan people through constructive dialogue. It has also responded to earlier requests, such as enforcing the law in the racial abuse case in Surabaya.
Vice President Jusuf Kalla, said on Wednesday (4/9/2019) that the Papuan people had been engaged in ongoing dialogue, one result of which was the 2001 Special Autonomy Law and its 2008 amendment.
The current government had also focused its attention on Papua, including President Joko Widodo\'s frequent visits to Papua throughout his 2014-2019 term. Nevertheless, Kalla stressed that the government was ready to continue the dialogue.
Earlier, Papuan Governor Lukas Enembe called for an end to the demonstrations.
After handing down his instructions to key regional police officers on Tuesday evening in Manokwari, West Papua, West Papua Police chief Brig. Gen. Herry Nahak said certain parties were still making efforts to disrupt security and order in the region, including by spreading hoaxes.
The police force had been instructed to remain vigilant and take a measured approach. "The issue is currently shifting from racism to another agenda," Herry said. One indication of this was that police in Manokwari discovered 1,500 plastic flags emblazoned with the Morning Star – the symbol of pro-independence Papuan movements.
Flag-bearer S.M., 33, had been named as a suspect. The flags, which had been transported from Sorong to Manokwari, were intended for distribution during Tuesday’s rally. The situation in Manokwari had returned to normal on Wednesday, when shops reopened. All stakeholders, especially traditional leaders, had helped restore peace.
Security forces were maintaining a public presence in several locations, and as many as 1,000 National Police officers, including 700 members of the Mobile Brigade unit, remained on standby. The security forces have been instructed to prevent large groups of people from moving towards the city center.
West Papua Legislative Council (DPRD) member Yan A. Yoteni, who chairs the Special Autonomy faction, reminded the authorities to avoid taking repressive measures in managing the crowds, as these would only heighten and spread the feeling of resistance among the people. "Offer dialogue. Approach the [protest leaders]," said Yan.
The protests were an outlet for the people’s disappointment and their anger at injustice. "The people must stop [behaving] anarchically. It is enough already. We have also lost," he said.
New suspects
In Surabaya, the East Java Police announced that it had a new suspect, V.K., in the 16-17 Aug. racial abuse and persecution case that targeted residents of the Papuan Student Dormitory in Surabaya. The incident was one of the key events that triggered the wave of protests in Papua and West Papua that descended into rioting. V.K. has been alleged of provoking the situation by posting messages on social media accounts that had since been deleted.
"The investigation team has saved the social media posts as evidence," said East Java Police Chief Insp. Gen. Luki Hermawan. One of V.K.’s posts that was determined to be false was that a resident at the Papuan Student Dormitory in Surabaya had been shot and killed.
Police also named two other people as suspects on Tuesday: T.S. (legislative candidate) and S.A. (an employee of the Surabaya municipal administration). The two are being detained for the next 20 days.
In West Papua, 22 people have been named as suspects in connection with the rioting in Manokwari (11 people), Sorong (8) and Fakfak (3), and were charged with damaging property, arson and looting. "It is also possible that the number of suspects will increase," said West Papua Police general crimes investigation director Sr. Comr. Roberth Da Costa.
In Jayapura, the Papua Police have named four new suspects in connection with the 28 Aug. riots in Deiyai, bringing the total number of suspects to 14. The four have been charged with group assault, public provocation, possession of sharp weapons and attacking authorities. Meanwhile, 33 have been named in connection with the riots in Jayapura city on 29-30 Aug.
"Five new suspects were [arrested for] using sharp weapons to block protesters on the road. This is the National Police’s commitment to taknig action against all parties," said Papua Police public relations head Sr. Comr. Ahmad Mustofa Kamal.
The rioting in Jayapura caused structural and fire damage to 31 offices, 15 shop-houses, 24 kiosks, 33 motorbikes, 36 automobiles and seven police posts. Five people were killed and two policemen were injured during the riots.
Foreign provocateurs
In Jakarta, the National Police had identified individuals that provoked and spread anger among the Papuan public. The National Police cybersecurity team’s analysis discovered that the activities were based abroad.
Naional Police public information bureau chief Brig. Gen. Dedi Prasetyo said that Papuan separatist leader Benny Wenda had actively disseminated fake news on the situation in Papua. Benny sent hoaxes via text, photographs and videos through networks in Europe and the Asia-Pacific.
Benny was based in Oxford, England, and was not an Indonesian citizen. The National Police was coordinating on a solution with the Foreign Ministry.
Vice President Kalla stressed that individuals, not foreign states, had committed these acts of provocation. Four Australian nationals who took part in the demonstrations had been deported.
The government was also reviewing its restrictions on internet access in Papua. One option was to ease the restrictions from province-wide to citywide.
(FLO/FRN/BRO/SAN/NCA/LAS)